Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo has confirmed the hiring of Paul Ferraro on his defensive staff, and also announced the hiring of Dick Curl as assistant head coach-quarterbacks coach and Frank Leonard as an offensive assistant.

Curl, 68, has spent the last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, but worked previously for the New York Jets (2003-2005). He and Spagnuolo worked together for a couple of years in NFL Europe, with the Barcelona Dragons in 1992 and with the Frankfurt Galaxy in 1998.

It is believed Ferraro will be the Rams linebackers coach, but while confirming his hiring, Spagnuolo referred only to him as a defensive assistant. Ferraro has spent the past three seasons as special teams coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, but most of his career coaching experience has been on the defensive side. Ferraro, a college teammate of Spagnuolo’s at Springfield (Mass.) College, has been a defensive coordinator at four colleges, most recently Rutgers (2001-2004).

Leonard has spent the past two years coaching tight ends at Kansas State. His only prior NFL exeprience was as a special assignment scout with New England from 2004-06.